"he tried to tell the truth, but what came out was only half of the truth. Later, much later, he found that he was unable to relieve himself of two regrets: one, that when she leaned back he saw that the necklace he made had scratched her throat, and two, that in the most important moment of his life he had chosen the wrong sentence."

ineffable /adj. / incapable of being expressed or described in words. incredible. unspeakable. not to be spoken because of its sacredness, unutterable. incomprehensibly delightful or joyful. transcendent. beyond words.

ineffable /adj./ 1. When I posted this word for the week, I honestly thought that this was not really "possible." That no matter what happened, I could always "speak" about it, always be able to describe it, put it into words. But I find myself full of ineffable feelings and struggling for a way to say it all. Damn the undeniable, inevitable destiny of the word-of-the-week.

ineffable /adj./ 2. This week was Quilt Retreat. Those five words are about all I can manage and seem to say it all for me. My kids call it "Quilt Retreatment." And it's just that. Treatment, therapy, counselling with scissors and fabric. This weekend with my aunts and cousins and sisters and mother, fills me in ineffable ways, reminds me that I can do my job, and I can do it with more joy and gladness. And as silly as it sounds, it is truly almost too sacred for me to describe properly. It means that much. Ineffable is just the word. This magical weekend reminds me most of Shakespeare's line: "Converting all your sounds of woe, into Hey nonny, nonny."

I will do a proper post on all the details of the retreat when I am a bit more composed about its being over. I'm afraid today it would be a completely sentimental, maudlin affair.

ineffable /adj./ 3. Because I was "off" for the weekend, David took the kids with him to Medical Staff Retreat in Tucson. The medical staff always stays somewhere really nice and this year was no exception. They all had a fabulous time swimming and playing when David wasn't in meetings and going to Kids Camp when he was. One night David had all their "auras" read. Yes, really. (I turn my back for a minute and look what happens.) They called me and reported the conclusions of their aura readings in awestruck voices. Later I heard Savannah excusing her unsisterly behavior by reminding Olivia of her red and orange aura and the strong will that went along with it. Concerned about the implications, I tried to explain to them that this was just "for fun" and wasn't an incontrovertable, definitive, lifetime personality statement. They all looked at me utterly crestfallen, dismayed by my unbelieving heart at their ineffable experience with the aura reader.

ineffable /adj./ 4. This week was also my birthday. My girls were in tears (of concern and dismay) that I didn't get a birthday cake (or pie) or "blow out the candles," but there was birthday fried ice cream which was absolutely delicious.

I received lots of very nice presents from my sisters, my mom, my husband and my sweet kids, including a necklace that Olivia bought me to replace my wedding ring (her words). I received a darling apron from my sister-in-law Beckie...don't you think everything I make wearing this will just taste better?

And I got about the nicest note a girl could want from David's parents. Made me tear up. Plus a puzzle for the coming summer and our requisite hibernation.

My heart was also ineffably full and touched by the sweet messages of my very good friends Amy, Kelly and Tiffany, and my sister Rachel who all posted birthday wishes. David, just reading them last night, said, "That was so fun read and to see that other people love you for the same reasons I love you." I am so happy to be loved by these wonderful girls. Then and now. And cannot express my ineffable joy at how blogging has brought us all back together.

ineffable /adj./ 5. It was Tiffany's birthday this past week as well. I am so grateful for her and her ineffable goodness. There is no other way to describe her. She is so good. So true. So constant. So wise. I remember when we were all young and dreamy having a discussion about the qualities we wanted in a husband. Tiff said she wanted someone who was kind. "Kind?" I said dismissively. "Any quality in the world and you pick 'kind'?" And as it turns out, it is the only quality that really matters in a marriage. She was always that wise. Happy Birthday, Tiff.

ineffable /adv./ 6. Inspired by Kelly's post, I have tried a few new hair do's on my girls this past week. But somehow since the last time I french braided their hair, my girls have grown up. My girls were all giggles to discover that I needed to stand on our little step stool in order to braid the top of their heads and reminded me that they used to be the ones to have to stand on the stool. I was reduced to tears at this observation and when they questioned me I could only shrug ineffably. How could I say that in just one moment they had gone from little to grown, from "at-my-breast" to "out-the-door"? How could I say just how much I loved them and what beautiful young girls they had suddenly become? How could I say that my life is passing as if in a dream and how badly I wished we could all be just here, in this moment, forever?